Coupon-book.



. G. V. SANDBRSON.

4 00u-'PON BooK;

APPLICATION FILED 00T. Z1, 19 01.

PATBNTED JAN. 6, 1903.

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` rapidity and absolute accuracy to detach from 2 5 5o cal operation, itbeing understood that the Vvision is made whereby the purchaser will bePATENT OFFICE.,

CHARLES V. SANDERSON,

or sTREAroR, ILLINOIS.

COUPON-BOOK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 717,930, dated January6, 1903.

Application tiled October 2l, 1901. Serial No. 79,464. v(No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES V.'SANDER SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Streator, in the county of Lasalle and State ofIllinois, have invented a newanduseful Coupon-Book, of which thefollowing is a specification. 1

This invention relates to coupon-books.

The object of the invention is to present a coupon-book adapted moreparticularly for use in the ice trade and between the dealer and thepurchaser, in the use of which pro-` enabled at a glance to ascertainthe number of pounds of ice still due him from the company and in whichat a glance the auditoror bookkeeper of the company will be enabled toknow just how many pounds of `ice has been purchased.

A further object is to present a couponbook having these features andthe addi-1 tional feature of a guide or self-calculator by which thewagonman will be enabled with the book coupons representing the amountof ice purchased.

A further object is to present a couponbook having the above featureswhich shall be exceedingly simple of construction and may be employed bypersons of limited education with certainty of results, thereby avoidingmistakes which are liable to occur when mental calculation is requiredon the part ot' the dispenser in calculating the number of coupons to bedetached to correspond with the amount asked for by the consumer.

With these and other objects in view', as, will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts of a coupon-book, as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, thereis illustrated one form of embodiment of the invention, together with aslightly-modified form of one' portion thereof, capable of carrying thesame intopractiform, as shown in Fig. 2.

i elements therein exhibited may bevaried or changed as to shape,proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from thescope of the invention, and in these drawings- A Figure 4l is a view inelevation exhibiting the cover of the book spread out flat to displaythe explanatory matter printed thereon relative to the use of the book.Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section, taken through the book whenfolded up. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view exhibiting the guide orselfcalculator and the manner in which the same is used. Fig. 4 is afragmentary detail View of a slightly-modified form of coupon-slip fromthat shown in Fig. l. Fig. -is a view in perspective of the book partlyopen.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates generally the cover of the book,the same comprising a front 2, a back 3, and a flap or leaf 4, the coverbeing foldable into book-like The front 2 has printed thereon mattersetting forth the number of pounds of ice for which the coupons of thebook are good, together with the name of the firm, the conditions underwhich the cou- `pons are to be used, and other matter serving toidentify the holder of the book. The back 3 contains printed matterexplanatory `of the use of the book, and the iiap 4 contains directionsas to the manner in which the coupon slip or ribbon is to be manipulatedwhen coupons are detached therefrom. The

vcover and printed matter thereon displayed are merely illustrative ofone arrangement that may be employed and is furnished to render clear anunderstanding of the present invention, it being understood that thisprint-l ed matter may be varied or changed to suit the requirements ofthe company issuing the same.

It is to be remarked at this point that while the couponbook is hereindescribed as applicable for use in the ice trade it is to be understoodthat it is not to be limited to this employment, as it may be adaptedfor use in connection with other businesses where its use will beadvantageous and still be Within the scope of the invention.

Secured to the iiap on its rear side and near its upper end is one endof thecoupon-slip 5, the same being made of a narrow slip of pa perhaving printed thereon two columns of figures 6 and 7, divided by aheavy line 8 into multiples of five, running from 5 downward to 2,000 inthe 6 column and from upward to 2,000 in the 7 column. The left-handcolumn 6 is provided to enable the purchaser to tell at a glance hcwmany pounds of ice is still due him from the company, and the right-handcolumn is provided to enable the bookkeeper or auditor at the office ofthe company issuing the book to ascertain at a glance just how manypounds of ice the consumer has received, and these columns willhereinafter be designated Amount due and Amount received columns. Asherein shown the `coupon-slip is made to represent a valuation of twothousand pounds; but it is to be understood that this amountniay beindefinitely increased, if desired or if found necessary. At a pointnear the upper end of the iap is provided a transverse slot 8, throughwhich the free end of the slip is passed, and above 'the slot is printeddirections as to how the slip or ribbon is to be removed from the book.In addition to the printed directions as to how the slip is to be drawnfrom the book the flap bears on one side and spaced to conform to thedivisions on the coupon-slip a guide or self-calculator 9, comprising acolumn of figures divided into multiples of five, running from 5 to 100,this self-calculator, as before pointed out, being provided to enablethe wagonman with absolute accuracy to determine the number of couponsto be torn off for any amount ofice from five pounds to one hundredpounds. Instead of having the two columns of figures 6 and 7 divided offinto divisions representing multiples of five the same may be dividedinto divisions representing one and multiples thereof, as shown in Fig.4, and when this form of slip is used the same rules apply in itsemployment as in the form of coupon-slip shown in Fig. 1.

To facilitate separation of the coupons from the slip, the lower end ofthe front may be provided with a metallic tearing or cutting edge 10,(shown in Fig. 1,) this to be of a piece of metal, as a strip of tin,having its ends bent around the sides of the front and pinched there, orit may be held assembled there in any desired manner. While the use ofthis tearing edge will be of advantage, it is to be understood that theinvention is not to be limited to its employment, as it may be dispensedwith and the lower end of the front be made to perform this function.

The coupon-slip is herein exhibited as being folded upon itself inregular lengths in zigzag order and is held in place between the flapand back by a rubber band or other fastening means brought intoengagement with notches 11, formed in the sides of the back and theflap, as shown in Fig. 1. By thus securing the ap and back together alldangerof the coupon-slip working out from between the parts when foldedto the position shown in Fig. 2 is obviated, and at the same time theslip will be free to be drawn from the cover.

The manner in which the book is used is as follows: When the book is rstpurchased the footing of the Amount due column will bear two thousandand that of the Amount received column five. Now suppose the purchaserdesires seventy-live pounds of ice. The wagonman draws down thecoupon-slip until the division-line 12, separating 75 and 80, is inalinement with the tearing edge 10, and the slip is then torn o. Nowsuppose the holder after this purchase desires forty pounds more. Ofcourse this amount will necessitate tearing off eight coupons, and asthe division between the coupons is small there is liability of thewagonman making a mistake, and it is under these conditions that theguide or self-calculator comes into play. When the former coupons weretorn off, was at the bottom of the Amount received column '7. Now totear off coupons equivalent to forty pounds the wagonman draws down theslip until 80 thereon alines with the 5 on the guide, and by looking atthe figure on the slip opposite the 40 on the guide 115 will appear,which will indicate to the wagonman that the coupon-slip is to be tornoff on the divisionline between 115 and 120, this calculation beingclearly exhibited in Fig. 3: The guide or self-calculator is hereinshown, as before stated, as divided into multiples of five, running toone hundred, and this will be all that is necessary in ordinaryhousehold usages; but it is to be understood that, if desired or foundnecessary, the scale on the guide maybe increased without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

By the employment of this form of couponbook the transactions ofbusiness between the dealer and purchaser is facilitated, and as afurther advantage inherent in this invention the accuracy with which thecalculations may be made will render its employment highly advantageousto both dealer and consumer. Furthermore, by the employment of theCredit and Debit columns of figures, by which terms the columns 6 and 7,respectively, may be entitled, the keeping of accounts between thepurchaser and the dealer will be greatly simplified, and the labor ofthe bookkeeper in keeping such accounts will be reduced to a minimum.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A coupon-book comprising a front, back and Hap, the latter beingprovided with a transverse slot and bearing adjacent to one edge acolumn of figures constituting a guide scale or calculator, and a sliphaving one end IOO IIO

secured to the back of the iiap and its free end passed through theslot, and bearing` on In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto afXed my signature' in its face columns of gures, thedesignating the presence of -two witnesses. values of which increase inopposite directions, the arrangement of the figures in the Columnadjacent to the scale corresponding in order of arrangement orprogression thereto.

` CHARLES V. SANDERSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE HALDEMAN, ROBERT MAXWELL.

